July 3, 2015
Hi, my name is Jami Reber and I am from Middletown, Delaware. I am currently working on my undergraduate degree in forensic science and biological anthropology at Penn State. I got an email from my advisor about the site and I decided to look into all of IFR’s programs (literally I went through every single one), but the Blackfriary site stuck out to me. I really wanted to get experience with bones since I’m studying forensics and biological anthro. I’m not a huge fan of dirt and digging, which I know sounds ironic, but so far my time here has been great and I have been working with really interesting finds. The process is actually much cooler than I originally expected. It is definitely a lot of hard work, I knew it wasn’t going to be a walk in the park, but the end result is so worth it. All the instructors are really nice and easy to work with. Everyone on site does their part and is willing to help.
I’m not a history major or anything so this program has been really fascinating for me. Through the program here I have been able to learn a lot about Ireland in the medieval period. I didn’t know what a friary was when I first came here but with the lectures we have been given and the field trips we have gone on I now have a better understanding of the medieval period and the context of the site. I’m actually really looking forward to doing post excavation work. As I stated before, I’m not much of a digger but post-ex sounds right up my alley. I like being organized and the repetitive nature is comforting for me. I’m excited to see how the rest of my time here goes and what I learn!
